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President Conwell's Statement to Campus on Immigration Policy

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

At Rose-Hulman we pride ourselves on our culture of inclusiveness. When a member of our family is threatened, we always pull together to show our support. Donald Trump's presidential order in regard to immigration policy prompts me to reach out to all of you on behalf of our international students and faculty, and the global relationships we have worked so hard to build and grow.

Although we as a nation have a legitimate need to discuss immigration policy in a thoughtful, measured manner, last Friday's presidential order, although not totally unexpected, was by many accounts hasty and ill-conceived-disrupting many lives needlessly and sending a message that this country, which has been a beacon to the oppressed, is turning out its light.

I urge everyone on this campus, despite your political beliefs, to demonstrate by your words and deeds that we truly are what we claim to be: a diverse campus that values each individual and seeks to advance intercultural engagement and understanding. In the weeks and months ahead, we need to be mindful that words and actions that separate, disparage or diminish another are not what we are about. Both here on the Rose-Hulman campus and in our communities, we need to let the light shine.